The re-emergence of the East African country of Uganda as a bona-fide hunting destination is very exciting news indeed. I use the term re-emergence because many subscribers to The Hunting Report may not be aware that Uganda was at one time looked upon as one of Africa's premier hunting areas. Many of the old ivory hunters, WDM Bell among them, plied their trade there with devastating effect. Even Theodore Roosevelt added his name to the list of famous hunters who crisscrossed this beautiful land.
My wife, Sandy, and I recently returned from a mid-November hunting and fact-finding safari in Uganda. Our purpose was to experience firsthand the country, its people and some of the hunting currently available, as well as to personally meet with Misters Bruce Martin and Christian Weth, two of the several hunting operators who have either been granted, or soon will be granted, areas and/or animal quotas by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Of course, this was a formidable undertaking for one trip, but I believe we came away with a fairly accurate assessment of the situation as it exists today.
It is general knowledge that Uganda is in the process of pulling itself out of the quicksand of questionable government, civil war, war with Tanzania and more than one reign of terror. The thing that surprised Sandy and me is the extent to which the country has done just that. Everywhere we went, we encountered smiling, upbeat people and a sense of national pride so lacking in other African countries that have suffered similar histories. So, at least from our perspective, it would seem that those hunters concerned about security issues in Uganda need not worry. Aside from those measures prudent travelers take anywhere, we went about our business just as we would in America. Also, we did not observe any physical scars........(continued)
